Rigid tight-lock coupler



Sept. 10, 1940. H; E, VAN DORN Y 2,214,003

' V RIGID TIGHT-LOCK UUI JPLER Original Filed Jan. 27', 1939 '5 Sheets-Sheet 1 vOz-igiina l Filed Jan. 27, 19:59 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 10', 1940. H E. VAN DORN 2,214,003

7 RIGID TIGHT-LOCK COUPLER '0ri ina1 Fil ed Jan. 27, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet s p 10, 1940 H. E. VAN .DORN

RIGID TIGHT-LOCK CQUPLER s sheets-sheet 4 Original Filed Jan. 27, 1939 Sept. 10,1940. H. E. VAN DORN RIGID TIGHT-LQGK COUPLER Original Fild Jn. 27, 1959 s sh eets sheet s Patented Sept. 10, 1940 arrests PATENT OFFEQE RIGID TIGHT-LOCK COUPLER Herbert E. Van Dorn, Chicago, 111., assignorv to The Dornvan Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application January 27, 1939, Serial No. 253,078

Renewed November 10, 1939 a 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to that type of railway car coupler in which the coupler head has an integral, forwardly-projecting nose adapted to interlock with the nose on a companion coupler; and locking blocks or dogs being provided to hold the noses in interlocked relation. It is desirable that when two rigid heads are coupled together, the interlock be such that the two heads form, in effect, a rigid Whole. To accomplish this, the locking blocks or dogs may be caused to be wedged against the noses in the opposite couplers to take up all slack, both initially and after wear occurs.

The simplest way of securing the desired wedging action is to mount the hinge pins for the locln'ng blocks or dogs in eccentrics, the turning of which move the pins bodily toward or away from the longitudinal axes of the heads, such an arrangement being illustrated in my prior application, Serial No. 212,661, filed June 9, 1938; and it is this type of construction that the present invention relates.

The object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for operating the locking dog and its eccentric mounting.

Specifically considered, one of the objects of the present invention is to permit independence of movem nt between a locking dog and its eccentric mounting to the extent that neither is required. to move angularly in unison with the other, thereby simplifying the unlocking of a coupler and permitting a wider range of radial adjustment of the locking dog than heretofore.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but,

for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein' coupler embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the opposite side of the coupler; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the coupler, showing the parts in their idle or uncoupled states; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the condition of the movable parts just before the completion of an act of coupling; Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4, showing only the lever mechanism andno part of the hollow head; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4, showing the parts in the positions which they occupy immediately after a coupling has been effected; Fig. 7 is a section Figure l is an elevational view of one side of a I taken approximately on line 71-? of Fig. 3; and t Fig. 8 is a section taken approximately on line i$-S of Fi 4.

Referring to the drawings, 5 represents a hollow coupler head open at the front end and having on one side of the longitudinal center a forwardly projecting hook-like nose 2 provided with a fiat, laterally-inclined front face 3 adapted to engage with a correspondingly inclined re-entrant face i in a meeting coupler. bus, when two couplers come together, the nose member of each enters the front end of the other head and slides diagonally toward the longitudinal center along the inclined face i. Within the coupler head, directly behind the face i, and in registration with a suitable opening or window 5 in that face, is a locking dog 5 in the form of a solid, sturdy steel block. It will be seen that the face 3 of the nose of the coupler contains a window l so disposed that it provides the tip portion of the nose with an outer vertical side face t parallel with the longitudinal axis of the coupler. As is usual in this type of construction, the locking dog of one coupler is adapted to swing out through the window 5 in that coupler and into the window '5 of a companion coupler where it wedges itself against the face 8 of the latter coupler.

The locking dog is mounted at one end upon a vertical hinge pin 9 that extends through and is journaled in two eccentric bearing blocks ill and ii rotatably supported in the top and bottom walls of the coupler head, respectively. As best shown in Fig. '7, the locking dog lies between and engages with both of the eccentrics. Each eccentric has radially projecting arms on the ends thereof adjacent to the locking dog, as indicated at it and Hi. These arms. are of surlicient thickness toward their free ends, to engage with each other so that when a pin it: is inserted through the same, the two eccentrics are not only connected but are joined together into a comparatively rigid unit. Each of the arms l3 and it has its outer end deeply notched or slotted horizontallyso that the composite arm projecting from the two eccentrics contains upper and lower slots at and ill, respectively. These slots provide room for the reception of members embracing the pin and serving to oscillate the eccentrics.

The locking dog has fixed thereto a rigid arm or lever i8 lying behind the same and projecting at its free end out through the side of the coupler. A pin it connects the arm or lever [8 to the front end of a piston rod 2i? projecting from a horizontal cylinder 2| mounted on the corresponding side of the coupler head; the piston rod.

having a widened portion or head 22 at its front end, and the pin l9 extending through a slot 2 arranged in the part 22 in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coupler. \Nithin the front end of the cylinder 2!, as best shown in Fig. 6, is a compression spring 25 that tends constantly to draw the piston rod 2t rearwardly and thus to maintain the locking dog in the position which constitutes both its normal idle position and its locking position, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 6. When air is admitted into the rear end of the cylinder 21 through a pipe or hose connection 2%, the piston rod is moved. forward and the spring 25 is compressed, causing the locking dog to be swung back into the coupler head, as shown in Fig. 4. As long as air under pressure is maintained in the rear end of the cylinder 2!, the locking dog remains in its unlocking or release position; but, as soon as the pressure in the cylinder is released, the spring 25 comes into play and forces the locking dog outwardly through the window 5.

The turning of the eccentrics is brought about by two different groups of mechanisms. Within the rear portion of the coupler head is a cylinder 21 whose axis is horizontal but extends diagonally forwardly and laterally from the side of the head opposite that at which the locking dog is located. A piston rod 28 projects from the inner and forward end of the cylinder 27 and is connected to one end of a short link 29 whose other end is entered in the slot il in the eccentric unit and is held therein by the pin l5. Within the front end of the cylinder N, as shown in Fig. 6, is a compression spring 38 which tends constantly to draw the piston rod back into the cylinder and thus turn the eccentrics in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3, 4 and 6.

Thus, upon admitting air into the outer end of the cylinder 2i, the piston rod is forced out through the inner end of the cylinder and the eccentrics are turned in the clockwise direction and the spring in the cylinder is compressed. It will be seen that whenever the eccentrics are turned in the clockwise direction, while occupying any one of the positions illustrated, progressively thicker portions thereof are interposed between the hinge pin 53 and the longitudinal axis of the coupler head, so that the pin 9 and the locking dog are moved bodily away from the 1ongitudinal center of the head. Conversely, when the eccentrics are turned in the counter-clockwise direction, progressively thicker portions of the eccentrics are forced past the side of the locking pin farthest from the longitudinal center of the head, and the pin and the dog are therefore shifted bodily toward the longitudinal center; this latter shifting movement being brought about by the action of the spring 36 in the cylinder 27.

While the spring 30 constitutes the sole means for shifting the locking dog bodily toward the longitudinal axis of the coupler head, means in addition to the piston in the cylinder 27 are provided to shift the locking dog bodily away from the longitudinal axis of the head. This additional means includes a long strut or bar all one end of which is entered in the slot lfiof the 63-1 centric unit and is held there by the pin 55 while the opposite end is flattened and widened horizontally, as indicated at 32. The wide, fiat part of the strut contains a closed L-shaped slot 336 comprising a long arm extending throughout almost the entire lengthof such flattened portion edge of the strut.

and a short arm which extends in the forward direction near the free end of the strut. In fact, the short arm of the slot need be little more than a forwardly-extending notch or depression.

The flat part of the strut extends into a jaw in one end of a horizontal lever 35 which is mounted between its ends on a stationary vertical pin 36. There is a short pin 37 extending through the jaw portion of the lever and through the slot 3 in the strut. The lever is hollow and within the same is a block bearing against the front long Behind the block, within the lever, is a compression spring 39 that constantly forces the block against the strut. The lever has a long, downwardly-extending hub 60 from which extends a forwardly-projecting radial arm li lying at some distance below the forward arm of the lever proper.

Extending through and slidable in a wall of the coupler head, parallel and just in front of the face t, is a plunger 42. The inner end of this plunger extends into the space between the forward arm of the lever 35 and the underlying arm ill, and is connected thereto by a suitable pin d4. Surrounding the vertical pin or shaft 36, as best shown in Fig. 7, is a strong torsion spring 55 which tends constantly to swing the lever 35 in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 of the drawings, namely in the direction to force the plunger t2 outwardly into the space that is entered by the nose of a coinpanion coupler in the act of coupling. Therefore, when the coupler is in an idle condition, ready to be engaged with another coupler, as il lustrated in Fig. 3, the plunger d2 projects to its farthest limit from the face of the coupler head through which it extends, and the pin El lies in the rear end of the slot 36 in the strut. Also, through the pressure of the block 38 against the forward edge of the strut, the pin 3? is now held in the short leg of the L-shaped slot When two couplers come together in the act of coupling, the nose of each exerts a wiping action on the locking dog of the other coupler, causing the locking dogs to be pressed back through the windows 5 behind the planes of the corresponding faces l. Then, as the couplers come more nearly into their final interlocked ositions, the face 3 of one sliding along the face l of the other, the noses strike the plungers 62 and force them back into their respective couplers. Therefore, as two couplers engage each other, their locking dogs are first swung back into release positions and then their plungers 12 are pushed inwardly. Also, because the pins are en aged in the short arms of the L-shaped slots t l, the inward movements of the plungers 62 are accompanied by movements of the struts 35, more or less parallel thereto but in the opposite direction therefrom, causing the eccentrics to be turned in the clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 3, i and 6, and bringing them into their release positions. It will be seen from Fig. 4 that. just before the nose of a companion coupler, indicated in dotted lines at A, reaches its final coupling position, the eccentrics have been swung through a considerable angle while the locking blocks are still resting against the faces 3 of the noses on the opposite couplers. Therefore, when the nose of the coupler A in Fig. 4c moves laterally alfurther short distance, so that the face 8 of the coupler A passes beyond the free end of the locking dog, the dog may swing outwardly through its window and beside the face 8 of the coupler A and thus prevent the couplers from separating until the locking dog is again swung back. However, since at this time the eccentrics are in what may be termed their release positions, a tight lock has not yet been effected, and the eccentrics must be swung in the counterclockwise direction far enough to press the interengaged parts of the coupler heads firmly together.

The shifting of the eccentrics to tighten the locks is controlled by the locks themselves. It will be seen that there is mounted in the upper part of the coupler head a horizontal bell crank lever it with which is associated a strong torsion spring t'l, best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The axis of rotation of the bell crank lever lies in front of thestrut 3i, and one arm of the lever extends across the top of the strut and is provided with a downwardly projecting finger 58 that lies behind and is adapted to engage with the rear edge of the strut. The second arm of the bell crank lever projects forwardly and is also provided with a downwardly-projecting finger 49 at its free end. Behind the locking dog 5 and fixed thereto, either by being cast as a part thereof, or otherwise, is a cam. lug 59. lhe parts are so proportioned that when the parts of the coupler are in their idle positions, as in Fig. 3, the lug 50 contacts with the finger G9 on the bell crank lever it, and holds the bell crank lever at one end of its swinging movements against the resistance of the spring 47. As the locking dog is swung back from the position it has in Fig. 3, in the act of coupling, the lug it moves away from the lever G6 and the latter shifts into its other extreme position, as shown in Fig. 4. Then, after the companion coupler has moved in far enough to enable the locking dog to swing out into locking position, the lug 5% on the dog strikes the finger Q9 on the bell crank lever (it and swings this lever in the clockwise direction from the position it has in Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 6. Since the strut 3i has been swung well, toward the rear of the coupler head by the time the locking dog starts to move into its locking position, the finger 48 on the bell crank lever is caused to strike against the rear edge of the strut as this lever is swung around by the locking dog. This causes the strut to swing forward about the point of connection with the eccentric unit until the long arm of the L-shaped slot 34 is brought into registration with the pin fil on the lever 35; or, in other words, until the pin 31 is freed from the short arm of the slot. When this occurs, there is nothing'to hold the strut against,

lengthwise movement and the spring 36 in the cylinder 27 comes into play and pulls the eccentric unit around into its lock-tightening position, the strut being shifted lengthwise at the same time. Thus, the strut serves both as a part of an actuating means to shift the eccentrics into their release positions and as a latch to hold them there until the latch is tripped.

It will be seen that while two couplers are in coupled relation to each other, the spring 3!) is constantly exerting a force on the eccentric unit in the direction to move the locking dog bodily toward the longitudinal center of the head, thus insuring that the heads are locked together into a substantially rigid whole, both initially and after wear has taken place. It will also be seen that the swinging movements of the eccentric unit are not in any way limited in extent by the swinging movements of the locking dog and therefore the eccentrics may have an effective turning movement through a large angle; thereby permitting a much greater bodily lengthwise shifting movement of the locking dog than is the case where the eccentrics can turn only through a small fixed angle relatively to the locking dog and must at other times turn in unison with the latter. The extent of the utilizable bodily lengthwise movement of the locking dog is indicated in Fig. 6 wherein X is the working face of the dog, the same being a section of the surface of a cylinder having its axis coincident with the hinge axis. The line Y represents the farthest back position of the working face at the time the dog swings into its locking position, and the line Z represents the position of farthest advance of the working face. It will be seen that the working face of the dog in Fig. 6 is much closer to the line Y than to the line Z; this being the case when couplers are new. As time passes and the couplersbecome worn, the locking dog must move closer to the line Z in order to effect a tight lock of the couplers. In actual practice, a maximum lengthwise adjustment of about three-sixteenths of an inch is available to provide the necessary clearance in coupling and uncoupling and the necessary lengthening, as it were, of the locking dog or block as wear takes place.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the making of coupling is entirely automatic as is the application of pressure while a coupling is in effect, to maintain a tight look. For the purpose of uncoupling, air is admitted from any suitable source into the rear ends of the cylinders .l and El. Since it is the pressure in the cylinder 2! that causes the locking dog or block to be swung into unlocking position, it is necessary that the cylinder 2? be first energized in order to operate the eccentric unit in a manner to relieve the pressure between the working face of the locking dog and the nose of the opposing coupler. I therefore connect the rear end of the cylinder ill with a pipe 5! into which air under pressure enters upon the operation of a suitable valve, not shown, at the station for the motorman or driver. Air also flows from this pipe through a pipe 52 that extends into the vicinity of the cylinder 2!. However, air does not enter the cylinder 2i directly from the pipe 52, but it must first pass through a suitable valve device 53 and from there, through a suitable pipe or hose connection 54 into the rear end of the cylinder. This valve device, as best shown in Fig. l, is fastened to the coupler underneath the cylinder 2 i. Since valves of this kind are old and well known, an assembly thereof being illustrated in detail in my prior application, Serial No. 184,548, filed January 12, 1938, it is sufiicient to say that projecting forwardly through the front end of the valve casing is a horizontal rod or stem 55 which, when pressed back, places the conduits 52 and 54 in communication with each other; the rod or stem being normally held in a forward, valve-closing position. and interrupting communication between these two conduits.

In view of the fact that the eccentric unit should be in its pressure-relieving position, as in Fig. 4, before the cylinder M is energized for the purpose of swinging the locking dog back, I provide means whereby the eccentric unit actuates the controlling valve by pressing the valve stem rearwardly as the eccentric unit reaches said position. In the arrangement shown, there is mounted on the side of the coupler just in front of the valve device a rocker member having one end 56 lying in front of and close to the valve stem, and having its other arm or end 51 lying 75 in the path of travel of the arm i l on the eccentrio unit; the rocker device being held to the coupler head by a vertical pin 58, so as to be capable of rocking through a limited distance about a vertical axis.

When the parts are in their idle positions, as in Fig. 3, the arm M of the eccentric unit lies at a considerable distance from the rocker device. However, when the eccentric unit is shifted into its relieving position, as shown in Fig. 4, the arm l4 strikes the rocker device and turns it far enough to force the valve stem 55 rearwardly into Valve-opening position. By this means I make certain that the pressure on the locking dog is relieved before any forces can be applied through the energization of the cylinder 2i to swing the dog back into the coupler head.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, a lock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together, said lock being mounted for swinging movements between locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member movably mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head, and means actuated by said member to shift the lock bodily lengthwise in one direction when said member is moved by the companion coupler.

2. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, a lock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together, said lock being mounted for swinging movements between locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member movably mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head, and means actuated by said member to shift the lock bodily lengthwise in one direction when said member is moved by the companion coupler; a spring tending constantly to move the said lock bodily lengthwise in the other direction, and said means including a latch to restrain said spring, said latch being in position to be tripped by the look when the latter swings into: its locking position in coupling,

3. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, alock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together, said lock being mounted for swinging movements between. locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head and adapted to be pressed back from a forward position as the couplers are completing their relative movements toward each other, a spring tending constantly to hold said member in its forward position, means actuated by said member to shift the lock bodily lengthwise in one direction when said member is pressed back by the companion coupler; a second spring tending constantly to move the said lock bodily lengthwise in the other direction, said means including a latch to restrain said second spring, and said latch being in position to be tripped by the look when the latter swings from its release position into its locking position in coupling.

4. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, a lock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two coupiers together, said lock being mounted for swinging movements between locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member movably mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head and adapted to be moved by said part, means actuated by said member to shift the lock bodily lengthwise in one direction when said member is moved by the companion coupler; a spring tending constantly to move the said lock bodily lengthwise in the other direction, and said means including a latch to restrain said spring, said latch being in position to be tripped by the look when the latter swings into its locking position in coupling; and a spring acting on said member and tending constantly to hold it against being moved by the said companion coupler.

5. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head having a lock for engaging a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together movable between locking and release positions, a pneumatic actuator to move the look into its unlocking position, a spring tending constantly to move the look into its locking position, means for relieving the pressure between the lock and the part or" a companion coupler with which the lock engages, a member on the head adapted to be moved by a companion coupler in coupling, and mechanism between said member and said means to actuate the latter during the time a coupling is. being made.

6. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head having a lock for engaging a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together movable between locking and release positions, a pneumatic actuator to move the look into its unlocking position, a spring tending constantly to move the look into its locking position, means for establishing or relieving pressure between the lock and the part of a companion coupler with which the lock engages, a member on the head adapted to be moved by a companion coupler in coupling, mechanism between said member and said means to actuate the latter during the time a coupling is being made, a spring acting on said means in opposition to said mechanism, alatch connection forming a part or" said mechanism to render the latter operative while the latch is in its latching position, and additional means actuated by the lock in moving from its release position to the locking position to trip the latch,

'7. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head having a lock for engaging a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together movable between locking and release positions, a pneumatic actuator to move the lock into its unlocking position, a spring tending constantly to move the look into its locking position, means for establishing or relieving pressure between the lock and the part of a companion coupler with which the lock engages, a spring device acting on said means, a spring-held member on the head adapted to be moved by a companion coupler in coupling, mechanism between said member and said means to actuate the latter in opposition to the said spring device during the time a coupling is being made, and additional means actuated by the look when it moves from its release position to its locking position to free said first mentioned means from said member and permit it to be actuated by said spring device.

8. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, a lock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together, said lock being, bearings for the lock including an eccentric to permit swinging movements of the lock between locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head and adapted to be pressed back from a forward position as the couplers are completing their relative movements toward each other, a spring tending constantly to hold said member in its forward position, means actuated by said member to turn the eccentric in one direction when said member is pressed back by the companion coupler, a second spring tending constantly to turn the eccentric in the other direction, said means including a latch to render said means ineffective when the latch is tripped, and said latch being in position to be tripped by the look when the latter swings from its release position into its locking position in coupling.

9'. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, a lock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together, said lock being, bearings for the lock including an eccentric to permit swinging movements of the lock between locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head and adapted to be pressed back from a forward position as the couplers are completing their relative movements toward each other, a spring tending constantly to hold said member in its forward position, means actuated by said member to turn the eccentric in one direction when said member is pressed back by the companion coupler, a second spring tending constantly to turn the eccentric in the other direction, said means including a latch to render said means ineiiective when the latch is tripped, and said latch being in position to be tripped by the lock when the latter swings from its release position into its locking position in coupling, a pneumatic actuator for turning said eccentric in the same direction as does said member, a spring to move the lock into locking position, and a pneumatic actuator to swing the lock into its release position.

10. In an automatic car coupler, a coupler head, a lock in the head for engaging with a part on a companion coupler to secure the two couplers together, said lock being, bearings for the lock including an eccentric to permit swinging movements oiv the lock between locking and release positions and also bodily lengthwise movements, a member mounted on the head in the path of a part of a companion coupler entering into an interlocked relation to said head and adapted to be pressed back from a forward position as the couplers are completing their relative movements toward each other, a spring tending constantly to hold said member in its forward position, means actuated by said member to turn the eccentric in one direction when said member is pressed back by the companion coupler, a second spring tending constantly to turn the eccentric in the other direction, said means including a latch which, when tripped, frees the eccentric from control by said member, a spring tending constantly to swing the loci: into locking position, a movable latch-tripping device in the head, and a part on the lock adapted to engage with said device when the lock swings into its locking position and cause it to trip the latch.

HERBERT E. VAN DORN. 

